Why the criminal?
by boyxboyislove
Summary: Another Drabble prompt. Rattigo. ( Yeah. Don't read if you don't like weird pairings. )
1. Chapter 1

Iago's thoughts always seem to be about him now. He's not sure what to feel about that. It seems like such a long time ago that Iago hated the rat. Really it was only about two or three years ago. India and what happened in that country usually stayed between the two of them. Iago didn't even like to discuss it in his own head ,let alone have it mentioned offhandedly in a private conversation between Ratigan and him.

It was a incredibly sore topic for him. Sore in the way his injuries from that time seemed to burn just at the thought of what happened and sore because of how Iago treated Ratigan back then. Iago had used a treatment on Ratigan usually reserved for his most hated enemies. He mocked him by calling him a rat, usually with certain adjectives to enhance the most hated word. Lonesome Rat or Rancid Rat seemed to be his favorites. But then something happened , A particular event neither of them really liked to talk about.

The aged Rat seemed to have either forgotten about it or was pretending to have for reasons Iago was incredibly aware of. He never pressed the issue. He wouldn't use it against Ratigan, it seemed wrong to. It seemed wrong because Iago had began to feel something for the suited rat that he'd only ever felt for one person before. This strange emotion that Iago never seemed to be able mark with a label. Ratigan was just …important.

Important was a good word to describe him. Somehow more than Iago considered himself, he seemed to consider Ratigan. It was strange. It was odd and strange to think he wanted to stay here with the same one he'd tried for 6 months to get away from.

_ Iago realizing he was in love with Ratigan_

It was a normal autumn day. Iago shivered against the chilled air and huffed. Why was it always so cold here. Iago had never really stopped to wonder about why. He had told himself it was because of Agrabah. Jasmine and Aladdin were getting serious, they didn't need a loud obnoxious parrot in the palace to kill the romantic mood. That's what he told himself was the reason. But really…

Ratigan was here. He'd met the rat in India and they had somehow gotten tangled in eachothers' lives. But after all that struggle in the jungle and that tiger…Why would Iago feel…

It was a strange emotion that overtook him when Ratigan was around. As soon as the rat looked at him his heart quicken,His throat dried up and breathing got difficult. Iago hadn't noticed before. He'd changed so much for this rat. He was less loud, more polite and spoke in proper English more. The parrot even started wearing clothes for his sake. He kept lying and saying that it was the weather. That wasn't true. Ratigan had always been put off by how naked Iago was. Iago also hadn't noticed the little things Ratigan started to do for his sake.

Eggless baked goods from bakeries had started appearing in the pub. The rat must've talked to the employees about treating Iago like it was Ratigan they were talking to… They always seemed to anxious around him. Anxious like Iago felt around the rat.

What was this fluttery feeling that overtook him when Ratigan spoke his name?

Not that stupid fake one. Iago. This feeling…It was different from how he felt when Jafar said it. That feeling had been fear. As soon as Jafar purred his name , Iago stiffened and clamped his beak shut.

With Ratigan… With…

Oh no. No. NO He couldn't.

Oh geez why him? Ratigan couldn't possibly ever. He would laugh at me. Iago knew that Ratigan would stare at him with contempt and judge him. Or even worse…

He would use it to his advantage and enslave Iago. Throw some careless flirtations his way. Stupid little things he didn't mean. Twist Iago's leash around his tiny finger and control him.

Just like Jafar. He didn't want to be used again…

Why did he have to be in love with The world's greatest criminal mind?


	2. Chapter 2

_denial_

Iago had grown accustomed to this feeling. He always seemed to pick the worst to have feelings about. He was always shot down by Jafar. It wasn't like he was expecting much from the vizier anyway. He just wanted him to accept that Iago felt like he was part of his family. That wasn't too much of a thing right? Still when Iago finnally got up enough courage to say it, Jafar just stared at him and laughed.

_Foolish bird. You're just a pet to me , So long as you are useful you can stay. _

Iago didn't say much after that. He just sighed and accepted that he was only a pet. He had to try and always be useful. He never wanted to leave or be thrown out, at the time he was hopelessly attached. Too blind to see that he deserved more than just being a hench.

That was why When he learned of his feelings for Ratigan he said nothing. Surely…

Surely Ratigan would stare at him, look right through him with those yellow eyes and laugh.

_Foolish bird… _

_Why.._

Iago was fuming, on the inside. He knew Ratigan had been off all day confessing things to Basil. He shouldn't be so upset. They weren't dating. He didn't own Ratigan. Even if they were dating, he couldn't tell the rat what to do. He couldn't possibly listen to Iago.

Ratigan was just out there, Telling Basil how special their bond was. How lonely life was without Basil. Why did that make Iago so angry? Why was he so offended by that? Basil was Ratigan's foe. His nemesis, the Paris to his Romeo. Iago wasn't… anything to Ratigan. Not really. Iago should be grateful, He's been allowed to stay with Ratigan. Allowed to eat his food and stay there for free. He shouldn't nag Ratigan about things like he's his housekeeper or nurse. He wasn't like Basil and Dawson or even Basil and Miss Hudson.

He had no right to pester him about things. So…Why did he want to? …Why was he compelled to?

_Best day of your life?_

His best day was a day he never thought would come. Iago had almost giving up on the idea completely. It wasn't like he hadn't had romantic relationships before but most of them involved the other person being the one to enact them. The parrot was far too shy to really come out and say anything about how he felt. It went against the way he was raised. The only way he knew to let on his feelings was through little passive aggressive gestures and double talk. And the person…well he wasn't technically a person. A Rat who refused to admit he was one. Except he had, Twice to him in the two days they were young again. Iago's emotions were running haywire and he kept saying things. Things that he never meant to say. Why would anyone love me? That question…It had only ever been uttered in his head. Or when Iago was alone but never…not ever in front of Ratigan. How…How was he saying that to him. Ratigan had confessed to Iago that he was important before. The only thing that kept him doubting was the situations. Once when he was tired and loosing his grip on reality. And the second time was yesterday but then…Then he was drunk. How could Iago latch onto to words that Ratigan probably had forgotten he'd said.

And then he came back in. Something about how he was acting made Iago uneasy. A nervous Ratigan was something that so few actually saw. Iago's heart fluttered in his chest as he tried to speak normally. Somehow when it was Ratigan… and he was this young , He couldn't talk right.

I love you.

When Ratigan said it Iago froze for a minute. He couldn't have said that, He didn't mea… Iago looked up into Ratigan's eyes and knew… He was serious. He could feel Ratigan's heart was beating just as fast as his. The parrot turned human barely managed to mutter that he also loved him. He just felt this wave up happiness he'd never experienced in his whole life. No one had ever told him that they loved him…He hadn't believed that anyone could. But…Here someone was, standing there loving him. Somehow…somewhere he must have done something right.


End file.
